Forced Neutrality
by Free-FallingReader
Summary: The choice was never meant to be easy, the Order or Deatheater. Loss friends, family or the love of your life. Will Leah be able to live with the consiquences? Or will she lose everything she holds dear? Will she be able to live without Draco?
1. A Mother's Warning

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Potter charactors. They still rightfully belong to J.K. Any new charactors belong to me and the people I have based them off of. Enjoy. 

A Mother's Warning

A shrill whistle sounded over the grounds of the extravagant estate calling home one of its prized members. Gracefully soaring to it's mistress she responded, always fateful, always a dependable companion.

Awaiting her faithful companion's return; a sandy haired girl of seventeen stood leaning against her bedroom window with her eyes closed and face turned towards the sun. Slowly a smile crept onto her serine face. In just a few hours she'll be on the train bound for her third home, the one that she loved almost more then her real home. 'Hogwarts,' she thought with a sigh. 'Just this last year and I'll be out of there.' With that thought a frown clouded over the smile that was there mere seconds before.

She was starting to think of what this year would be like when a quick rapping was heard from her mahogany door. "Leah, are you in there?" Called the voice that could only belong to her mother. "Yes, mum I am. You can come in." Leah called over her shoulder without taking her hazel eyes off the cloudless August sky watching for her winged friend's return.

A bit timidly a tall, slender woman with dirty blond hair walked into her daughter's room and headed toward the balcony. "Do you have everything ready to go?" She asked looking at the queen-sized bed where Leah's wardrobe and school things where scattered all over it. Pulling out her wand and muttering a quick 'sortify' all the clothes, quills, parchments, and others swiftly flew orderly into her daughter's trunk and shut.

"You know I could have done that," Leah remarked glancing over her right shoulder at her mother. "Yes you could have, but you would've waited until the last second again and forgot more of your potion things like last year." Rebutted Heidi.

"Snape held that over my head for a month. Seriously being in Advanced Transfiguration is better then Snape's wrath at that. But yes, everything you just sorted into the trunk was everything; it's been checked three times already. When Raye gets back from her hunt I'll start carrying everything down." Leah commented off headedly glancing over her shoulder carelessly at her trunk, broom, and empty cage on the bed. 'Raye's going to hate going in there like every year.' She sighed as her gaze turned back over the railing and to the sky above.

"Leah, there's one more thing that your father wanted me to remind you of before I head back home. You have to make your choice by the end of the Christmas Holidays. No matter what you think in your mind to be right, you can't be neutral anymore. You must decide. Neither side will allow it any longer. Either way your father and I will support your decision just like we did when Josh chose the Order.

"But Leah you must think long and hard on this. There are going to be a lot of times when the pressure from both sides will be too great for you to handle. When even your best mates will turn their backs on you. Challenges mental, physical, and emotional will be grueling to the point where you wont be able to think straight. Simple things may even seem harder for you to understand. Just remember Leah, your family will always be here for you when you need to rest, when you need to think..." "When I need to feel loved," Leah finished for her mum. "Your words of comfort and warning when times get too hard. You've told Josh and I that ever since we started at Hogwarts. I will remember mum."

With that Heidi gave her daughter a hug and turned to leave. "Be safe, love. I have to go Mark will be getting impatient if I'm not back soon. Love you." "Love you too. Bye mum." And with the soft click of the door being closed, signaling that she was once again alone, Leah turned back to the view out her balcony.

'Mum, I know that you want me to be safe but I've got an inkling that it's going to be harder then you thought," Leah thought with a sigh as her gaze focused upon two dark specks in the sky as they sped fast towards her. 'They're at it again. ' With that the smile that was once gone returned with full force. "Careful Dragon, she flies dirty," She murmured then turned back into her room.

Author's Note: Please review. This is my first offical story post since becoming a member so very long ago. Thank you!!


	2. Out Of Memory Back To Reality

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Potter charactors. They still rightfully belong to J.K. Any new charactors belong to me and the people I have based them off of. Enjoy. 

Out of Memory Back to Reality

"Leah! Leah!" Leah snapped out of her musings at the yelling of one of her close friend's voice and her friend's hand waving in front of her face attempting to draw her back to the land of the now.

Blinking fast a few times her focus can back from the vague and foggy world of her memories of just hours ago to the rushing landscapes outside the slightly swaying car filled with five of her good friends; all of whom were starring at her oddly at the moment.

"Welcome back to reality, my friend," said Amanda Anderson, a shorthaired blond with blue eyes. She was almost exactly Leah's height at 5'11 and almost the same weight. Amanda, or more commonly known to all her friends as Mandi, was a transfer student from an African Wizarding School in Cape Town two years prior. That didn't stop her though from quickly working her way up in the school to one of the top 15 students in their class nor Captain for the Ravenclaw house team.

Mandi also isn't a kind of person to tell you something to your face, right or wrong. She always speaks her mind on any topic and doesn't mind if she gets into trouble for it or not. Her attitude and compassion for everyone makes her easy to befriend.

"Yeah really. For a minute we were getting worried about you. Plus you were starting to drool a bit, thought you were asleep," chimed in Ashley Mortenson. With shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes that were currently filled with mischief.

Ashley was the troublemaker of Leah's merry band of friends. She's always laughing, joking around, breaking out into spontaneous dancing no matter where she may be at the given moment. And like Leah she was a Gryffindor, also one of her dorm mates. She also had the bragging rights of being one of the finest beaters for the Gryffindor House team next to the Weasley twins.

"I was not about to drool!" Exclaimed Leah as she unconsciously whipped at her mouth with the back of her hand. Once the laughter subsided Leah finished her scan of the car. With her, Mandi, and Ashley was Megan Boyd, Susie O'Connor, and Amanda (Manda) Wick.

Megan Boyd had medium brown wavy hair that went just past her slim shoulders with the height of 5"3'. Her sharp hazel eyes looked at Leah with a bit of mirth in their depths. Megan was one of the top students within the Seventh years, in fact she was the second female candidate for the Head Girl position but as predicted Hermione just barely beat her out for that title. But just like Hermione, Megan hated flying. She instead was one of the fastest runners in all of Hogwarts. Currently she was starting up a running association for everyone during free periods once a week. Even though she doesn't like to fly she is still an avid fan of the Gryffindor House team which she is always happy to dress crazy in support of. She is also one of Leah's dorm mates since First year.

Susie O'Connor was another exceptional Beater for the Gryffindor team. Susie is one of the most fashionable dressers within Gryffindor tower, always with some of the latest styles from America or anywhere over the rest of Europe. She has bright big blue eyes with shoulder length dark red hair and no she is in no way connected to the Weasley's, unless you count her dating Ron off and on throughout the last two years. She could crack a joke without even trying, just like Ashley.

Then there was Amanda (Manda) Wick. At the height of 5"9 1/2', medium brown hair that goes three inches past her shoulders, hazel eyes she is the co-creator and editor-in-chief of the first Hogwarts Newsletter. And even though Manda was in a different house then her, she was one of Leah's best friends. Manda was always the best person to go and talk to when you had something to talk about no matter how tedious. Also Manda was a very good singer, multitasking between the newsletter and the choir. Plus don't underestimate her scene of humor, she can be quick with the jokes and impersonations as Ashley and Susie.

"Whatever you loons." Leah said as she settled once again into her seat. "You are all just jealous that you all don't have a drool worthy boyfriend who's Head Boy." She looked on trying to keep from laughing as she attempted a smug face, but sadly she failed and started to laugh at all the 'yeah right' looks of her friends. "Yeah right Leah. All our boyfriends are drool worthy in their own ways so don't start. Plus your fabulous boyfriend has to share a dorm tower with one Hermione Granger. He'll either be in the hospital wing most of the time or having an affair with the Head Girl." Mandi said also trying to keep a straight face but just as sadly lost it to laughter like Leah and the rest of the Loon Brigade.

After the laughter subsided they got down to the normal business of the group even though they were down by a few people. The main topic of this train ride was of course their boyfriends and/or crushes of the moment. But they turned to more sobering topics soon after, namely the impending Second War between the Order and Voldemort and his Death eaters. And no matter how many times they went back and forth, for or against (mainly against), Leah remained silent. Not once did she say what she wanted to say to them for over three years now. Desperately she just wanted to tell them that she was being forced to choose what no one should ever have to choose between. Life or Death no matter what out come. No matter the agreement. That she would more than likely not be sitting with any of them within the next year at some cafe in Diagon Alley talking about wedding plans or just on one of their many shopping trips.

Finally she gave up trying to shove the images of what might happen and abruptly stood affectively drawing the conversation to a halt. Quickly she had to think of something to say to leave the compartment before she started to cry, she needed her Dragon. "Great! Thank you Mandi! I can't get the mental picture out of my head of my boyfriend and Hermione making out in some broom cupboard somewhere in the castle. Now I have to go and tell him off for something I know he's never going to do." With that she swept out of the compartment, a gale of laughter following her out of the car.

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	3. It Starts On The Train

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Potter charactors. They still rightfully belong to J.K. Any new charactors belong to me and the people I have based them off of. Enjoy. 

It starts on the Train

She walked with a purpose down the train while looking here and there for the one person she wanted to talk too. She would be damned if she was going to let his friends push her around this time like they did almost every time she was around them. No this year was going to be different. This year was going to be the year she fought back against that clingy git that thought that Leah's boyfriend was going to be her's.

Slowly she walked up to one of the last five cars on the train and looked in with a smirk. 'There he is, just as he told me he would be.' Throwing all caution to the wind Leah calmly opened the compartment door and let herself in, the shocked looks of all but one of the Slytherins upon her as she just as calmly shut the door behind her.

"Get the hell out of here, Gryffindor! No Mud blood lovers allowed in the presents of Slytherins!" Pansy shouted, causing people to look into the corridor to see that was happening.

"Oh sod off Perkinson, you Pug faced whore," Leah replied casually as she looked out the window at the rushing landscape. "I can be here if I want, just saying hello is all. Can't I even do that now? I am trying to be the better woman, opps, I mean person, you know for Interhouse Unity and all."

Leah couldn't hold back a smirk at the fury working it's way onto Pansy's face as she finally got her not so hidden meaning in her little speech. She was just about to make another verbal stab at Perkinson when she was suddenly thrown to the side as the car almost violently jerked to the side, causing Leah to fall sideways into one Draco Malfoy's lap.

"Then may I be the first to say hello to you then, Leah," he said with his mischievous smirk in place as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You may, Draco. You didn't stop by before we left, so I thought I'd find you to tell you that I'm slightly saddened and angry by that," Leah stated only looking at him and ignoring all the mutterings and swearing coming from Pansy.

"Slightly? Only slightly? Not bursting into tears from not seeing me? Well then. I guess I'll have to try harder from now on won't I?" The smirk on his face only widened a fraction at that.

"You're so full of yourself, Draco. Has anyone ever told you that?" She asked as she began to play with a bit of his platinum blond hair as it fell into his eyes.

"Yes I believe that someone has. As a matter of fact I think that they're sitting on me at this very moment. And I think that was the fourth or fifth time that they've said that to me as well," was his response before leaning a little making it so that their noses were touching.

"Good. At least someone deflated your ego a bit. I should get going back now. I have to kidnap Susie from Ron and Ashley from Matt again." Leah told him in a whisper.

"Right. Go then," he said as he leaned in and placed a quick kiss on her lips. There was a bit of commotion behind them but they paid no mind to it. Somewhere in the back of Leah's mind she could only imagine that it was just Crabb and Goyle holding onto Perkinson as she struggled to break free and tear both her and Draco apart.

"Oh would you two get a room?" Nott asked in a bored voice across from Malfoy. "We don't need to see you snogging a Mudblood lover, Malfoy."

Kissing Draco one last time Leah got up and headed towards the compartment door only to see something that made her heart stop.

Harry James Potter, one of Leah's good friends, Quidditch Captain, and newly appointed member of the Order of the Phoenix was standing in the doorway with none other then Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Susie O'Connor, and Manda Wick. And his green eyes were dark and blazing with fury as he stared at her.

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	4. Stories Told

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Potter charactors. They still rightfully belong to J.K. Any new charactors belong to me and the people I have based them off of. Enjoy. 

Stories Told

Without so much as a word, Harry had her arm in a vice-like grip. With a scowl he attempted to drag her into the corridor and down the train back to trio's compartment. At least he would have if Draco wouldn't have grabbed her right forearm. Instantaneously Ron and Hermione drew their wands. Draco didn't so much as blink as he felt the jab of two wands at his throat.

"Its alright, Draco," Leah said in attempts to calm her boyfriend down before someone, mainly him, got hurt, jinxed, hexed, or something. But Draco didn't stand down. Leah could feel his fingers gently tighten a bit more on her arm.

She took a quick glance at Harry to try and judge his mood; his green eyes only hardened more. She then turned to Draco. His face was set, his gray eyes hardened with determination on keeping her from harm, she'd seen that look before but suppressed the smile that was about to show.

"Draco," she tried again in a harsher tone to get his attention, which worked. "Let me go with them. I won't be harmed, I promise. I've been expecting this. Just let me go with Harry for a little while for a chat, okay?"

Though no one could tell by looking at him, Draco Malfoy was shaking. Be it from anger or fear for her, she didn't know. But she could feel his hand shaking on her arm.

'Now or never.' she thought. 'This is the last chance I have before they harm him.' She looked directly into his eyes and tried one last time, with a slight begging tone in her voice. "Please Draco, I'll be all right."

He let go. Harry almost dragged her out into the hall. Ron and Hermione came up behind them; wands still clenched in their hands, while Manda and Susie bringing up the rear.

They came to the last car on the other end of the train before Harry threw her into a seat. Somewhere behind is imposing form someone closed the door, locking it in the process.

For a moment no one spoke. Harry, Ron and Hermione glared at her as if she were Draco himself. Susie and Manda, who already knew all about Leah's relationship with the ferret, merely sat on either side of their friend.

"Tell me," Harry demanded through gritted teeth. "When were you going to tell me about you and Malfoy?"

A chill ram through the compartment at his tone. Harry was being way too calm for anyone's liking. His hands clenched rapidly as he tried not to go for his wand.

"Tonight. After the feast," Leah replied in earnest, as she tried not to let Harry see that she was watching his wand hand carefully for any sudden movements.

"Liar!" Came Harry's hissed reply. "You're a Deatheater aren't you? Admit it! You're just trying to get close to me for Voldemort. Catch me off my guard in the common room, between classes, anywhere."

Leah was on her feet in a blink of an eye in front of her friend, her eyes blazing with the accusations. "How dare you accuse me of being a Deatheater, Harry! If you think that low of me then you don't know me at all!"

Harry gripped her shoulders and shoved her back into the seat. Slowly he sank onto the edge of the seat across from her.

"Enlighten me then. If I don't know you then we may as well start from the beginning, such as how you and Malfoy got so chummy." His voice was deadly calm again as he let go of her shoulders and lend back on his side of the compartment.

"He's my neighbor," she started. "Our parents were friends before we were born and still were sometime after. Narcissa and my mother would always do things together. My father and Lucius, however, lets just say, Harry, your feud with Draco is nothing compared to them.

"When Draco and I were younger, we were playmates. Everyday we'd see each other while our mothers chatted or went shopping, whatever. We grew up together basically. Except my father didn't start telling me that muggle-borns were dirty. I have cousins that I am very close to that have muggle blood.

"Around nine or ten, Lucius started brainwashing Draco on the importance of pure blood that's when we started to drift. You see Harry; he and I fought like cats and dogs when we hit twelve. We stopped being friends at about thirteen. It wasn't until sixth year that we started talking again."

"That doesn't explain why you're going out with him," Harry snapped. For all his worth he was trying not to reach for his wand to curse her for being with a Malfoy. She was like a sister to him, so he had the right, at least in his mind, to be overprotective of her.

"Harry," Leah sighed exasperatingly at him. "Draco and I practically grew up together. We were neighbors. We know everything about each other. How could this not have happened? Trust me I tried to separate myself from him. But it didn't work..."

"There's always a way to get away from someone, always..."

"And your an expert on this topic, Harry?!" Leah interrupted, shocked.

"The only way you can't get away from someone is if your living together or married," he continued as if she hadn't said anything. "Your not married to him are you?!" His eyes widened in shock. Everyone else in the compartment looked back and forth between Harry and Leah with looks of complete shock and disbelief.

The oddness of the moment was only added to farther by Leah's abrupt hysterical laughter. All eyes then turned completely confused and dazed.

"Harry!" Leah gasped while whipping tears of mirth from her eyes. "Do you think I would marry this young or be living with anyone but my parents while in school?" She asked as her laughter calmed down enough. "See," she said holding up her left hand. "No ring or any indent of one. I am neither engaged to nor married rest assured on that one."

They still looked at her as though she had two heads. Sighing she shook her head. "Listen if you still don't believe me just ask Josh. He's in the next compartment over." In a louder voice she continued, "More then likely listening to everything that we're saying right now! Might as well join us in the interrogation, Ding bat, you know you want too!"

Movement was heard within the compartment next to them. Then the doors sliding open and closed. A shadow emerged from around the corner of the door; a tall, lanky person seemed to be casting it.

The door handle tilted downward and slowly opened. A tall, stocky man appeared within the doorway, stepped in and closed the door again. He leaned his 6"5' frame against the door before looking up at them with bored looking brown eyes. Still staring he adjusted his baseball cap over his shaggy dark brown hair.

"You know Leah, its not hard to over hear you at anytime, you know that. The whole train, I think, could. Now why did you call me in here? I was trying to sleep," he said as he eyed her suspiciously.

"When aren't you trying too? I swear your nocturnal, you just don't know it yet," Leah laughed at her brother's shrug. "How rude of me. Josh, Manda, Harry, and Susie I know you've met before. But for Ron and Hermione this is my brother Josh Marron. He's an Aurora at the Ministry, a member of the Order and our substitute DADA professor, since our current on needs three days off every month. And Dumbledore doesn't want Snape going off curriculum again like he did third year."

Josh laughed then; all eyes were on him now. "So this means, my little sister, that I can give you a failing grade if I wanted. But you know I wouldn't Ma would have my head."

"Wait a minute," Ron butted in. "Lupin's our teacher again? I though he couldn't, not with all the governors and parents watching anyway."

Josh once again laughed as he took the only seat available next to Leah after Manda moved to sit by Harry. "He's only taking N.E.W.T levels. I get the runts until before Christmas. I could only get off my case for that long because of Ty and Bomber, my friends, and also our partners."

"Ty and Bomber now? What happened to Kevin and Bob? They finally got to go to Romania, didn't they?" Leah asked with a long face. "Idiots," she muttered. "Your just mad because they didn't say bye to you, you'll get over it. They promised that they'd write, didn't they?" Josh sighed. He'd been over this before with her, but his baby sister always wanted to make a fuss about her 'adopted' brothers.  
Harry was still shooting Leah loathing looks from across the car. Whether she knew this she made no sign of it but it was starting to annoy Josh to some degree. Getting up and stretching, he looked right at Harry with a knowing stare. Josh took one last look around the car before he spoke again saying something that would later be hell for his baby sister.

"I know that my sister is honest to a fault almost all the time but if Harry is still leery around her... If you don't trust her the way you used to just because of her choice of boyfriend then there are ways besides Veritaserum that will tell if a person is lying to you. Granted that they are a bit more dangerous but still not considered Dark Magic, but what they are I won't tell you. Now it you'll excuse me; I wish to finish my nap before we get to Hogsmeade. Leah, a word please?"

Josh swept out of the compartment; his anger filled sister close behind him. "Josh you ass!" Leah hissed in a low voice as she entered her brother's compartment. "That's all Harry needed was a hint at something so he wouldn't have to break into Snape's stores. Damnit! Now I am truly in for it. All they need to find out is that I haven't told them everything. Josh! Mum is going to kill you when she finds out when they do something and that you nudged them to it."

"Relax sister of mine. I gave then a nudge, yes. But as to what they will find out is still to be seen, they more then likely won't find anything. Yes, there is something, a few things in fact, but still the likelihood of them being found in the library are slim at best." Came the calm reply as Josh lowered himself onto the squishy bench arranging his coat behind his head as a pillow. Leah kicked his foot as he settled in. He looked up at her annoyed at the disturbance. "Just wait. By the end of the month Hermione will have found it and then I'm in deep. Then I will notify Dumbledore if something goes wrong and you're to blame." Leah stormed out on her sprawled out brother as he drifted off.

She walked back into Harry's compartment only to find that Harry, Hermione, and Ron where the only ones there and as she predicted, they were already discussing which books to check out in the library. Silently Leah closed the door and walked first to Draco's compartment to assure him that she was still in one piece and finally back to her original compartment where she put her head in her hands for a while before looking out the window for the remainder of the trip thinking about what the trio would do to her.

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	5. Diffidare Deprecor

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Potter charactors. They still rightfully belong to J.K. Any new charactors belong to me and the people I have based them off of. Enjoy. 

Diffidare Deprecor

Sitting through double potions on chair made of broken glass was what she felt like all through the first hectic week of the term. Every time that Leah saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione they would be huddled together talking no doubt about what Josh could have meant on the train.

"Really, Leah." Manda said one day in her best Hermione impression as she, Leah, Susie, Ashley, Mandi, Megan, and Kitty sat in a shady part of the courtyard. "It's really quite simple if you think about it. I, know it all Granger, shall simply have to stick my nose in and try to prove that somehow Kevin will notice me if I find something that proves that I'm smarter then him and Draco."

"Kevin? Kevin Nelson?" Mandi asked a bit bewildered as she sipped her Muggle cola that Susie had smuggled into Hogwarts for them all. "What's he got to do with the 'trio' trying to find this spell or potion, whatever it is for Leah to spill her guts, have to do with anything?"

"Hermione has a thing for him, has I think for a while." Kitty chimed in from behind her Charms book. Amanda Turner was the youngest of the group, being the only sixth year among them. She black curly hair trimmed to her shoulders was styled around her face to accent her gray eyes. Kitty, for short, was what they called her to avoid any confusion with the other two Amanda's in the group. Like Manda, Kitty was a writer for the Hogwarts Newsletter writing mainly the most breaking news around the school and also because of her strong gift in Divination she also did the horoscopes.

"Can't imagine her liking anyone but Ron," Mandi shrugged looking in the direction of the 'trio' as they entered the courtyard. Susie proudly smirked at this. "Oh, she gave up on him after fifth year. Ron asked me out during the summer holidays that year in front of her. She moped for months on that...Until Kevin one upped her in Ancient Ruins the very next year. She's been pining over him since."

"What Hermione doesn't know though," Ashley continued on as flawlessly as the Weasley twins for Susie. "Is that Kevin is in love with her. He's been trying to get her attention in classes, was trying to become Head Boy since fifth because of her. But unfortunately to her he's only been proving an annoyance and he forgot to factor in Malfoy in contention for being Head Boy."

"Draco's father has been drilling into him since day one here that he had to beat out Hermione to prove Pure Blood superiority. Lucius is still mad that Draco's grades are still second best in the year." Leah finished as she leaned back on the soft green grass sunning herself with Megan, Ashley and Mandi.

They were silent for a few minutes as they watched other students filter in and out. The 'trio' stayed in what was dubbed their corner bent over what appeared to be some musty mold covered book that Hermione found in the dungeons. Once in a while they would shoot glances at Leah and her friends with devious smirks on their faces, similar to what Ashley got in that type of mood. Quickly Leah looked away, getting annoyed rather easily now by their antics. She turned her attention instead to the willow tree directly across the courtyard from them. There amongst its drooping branches she spotted one Draco Malfoy staring back at her with a look that she had grown rather fond of during the summer. A slow sweet smile formed on his face as Leah's fingers on her right hand fiddled around her ring finger on her left hand.

A loud call from the building pierced through the connection that Leah and Draco were having. Seconds later a tall spiky dark haired young man with blond highlights came running full tilt out of the archway next to Draco's/ the Slytherin's tree carrying or rather flailing around beside him a guitar. Close behind him, also running full tilt, came a gangly shaggy brown haired boy of 5"8. The Spiky haired boy stopped first before the group of girls, handing the guitar to Ashley before standing straight again turning towards the winded shaggy haired boy from his house of Ravenclaw came to a puffing stop beside him for a few seconds before plopping down on the grass next to Ashley to retrieve not only the stolen guitar but also a kiss from the girl who held it.

"Aw, com' on Matty Boy!" The spiky haired one directed to the shaggy one, a full true Irish lilt coming from his lips. "A little run would do ya some good every now and again. Not good just to sit and strum that banjo of yours all day long, your lass must feel ignored with it from time to time." Matt just glared up at the other before falling onto his back in the grass beside his girlfriend. Turning the spiky hair swept his eyes over the group before his right hand flew over his heart and he fell to his knees in front of Mandi. "Be still my beating Irish heart!" He exclaimed to the whole courtyard. "What a beauty we have before us!" Mandi smiled broadly at that as she pulled the loud Irishman down on his ass in the grass beside her.

"Colin, shut the bloody hell up. You've been here for five seconds and already your grating on my nerves." Came a drawled Irish voice from over by the Slytherin tree. Slowly a pudgy form moved away from the trunk and waddled out into the sunlight. Her complexion was so pale she looked more vampire then human. Her dyed black hair was greasy beyond healthy, her dulled green eyes were caked around with so much black eyeliner that it looked like she had two bad black eyes. Close behind this waddling penguin trotted Pug-faced Perkinson, her 'best mate'.

"Shut your gob, Sexton. We all have had a long week already without sitting here now and listening to you bitch and moan about whatever the hell is the topic with you today. Piss off and go eat another cake with your lesbo lover Perkinson there," Leah waved her hand dismissively at the blob of flesh that was rolling over to them, a slight red tinge could barely be seen under the caked on white makeup.

"What was that Marron?" Ashley Sexton said in her most menacing tone that she could muster, some first years backed away and fled back into that safety of the castle. "Please!" Leah sighed exasperatedly. "Sexton your warning tone frightens only the young ones that are stupid enough to take you seriously. I, on the other hand, know you better to know that your fat ass won't do a damned thing to any of us due to the fact that you are too chicken shit to act out your 'threats', even with backup. So do us all a favor and save us the breath for this meaningless argument that you so badly wish to start up for the thousandth time and go to the Great Hall for a really early lunch then go screw Pug-face there until your family , I mean the cows, comes home."

This caused the crowd that had formed around them to burst into laughter. All of the fifth, sixth, and seventh years had heard this a thousand times before. The verbal fighting between Leah Marron and Ashley Sexton was as average as the fights between Harry and Malfoy. There was only one time, back in fourth year that the verbal bantering turned into an actual fist fight between the two, and that was over Pansy Perkinson, to this day Leah still remember the sweet taste of victory over the easy defeat of the overstuffed penguin, who's punches were like wet noodles and didn't even hurt at all. Ever since that day Leah and her crew of Loons have been calling Sexton and Pug-face lovers.

Crabb and Goyle both rushed up to grab a hold of Sexton's arms as she tried to hold her back from diving on Leah and her friends. "Boys!" Came a commanding voice from inside of the depths of the willows leaves. "Take that embarrassment of Slytherin House to the dungeons." Draco commanded as he jumped down from his branch. "I want a word with her later." Crabb and Goyle scrambled to do Draco's bidding. Dragging the kicking and yelling mass of human flesh that was one of their own House and Quidditch members through the nearest doorway and down the hall to the dungeons earned to lot of them snickers and full gall laughter from those watching on.

Draco in all his cool demeanor strutted over to Leah and the rest of the group. Kneeling down in front of Leah he took her hand, muttered a few quick words while holding her hands then stood just as quick and was walking off again in the direction Crabb and Goyle dragged the yelling Sexton.

"Must have been good, whatever he said to you Lee," Megan said with a sly smirk. "Yeah, your blushing worse then a tomato in season." Chimed Kitty. Manda, Mandi, and Ashley nodded in agreement. Colin looked like he was going to chase after Malfoy and beat him down, he thought of Leah also as a sister, and Matt just sat there next to Ashley strumming his guitar. Leah turned to them with a smirk on her face. "Never you mind children, what he said isn't for little ears like yours." "OH! Spill Marron!" Mandi yelled. "Um, I don't think she should," said Manda looking towards the 'trio'. "Why not?" inquired Mandi. "'Cause of them," Manda pointed at Harry, Ron, Hermione who were now walking over to them. "And him," Ashley said pointing to where Josh was leaning on one of the open windows of the courtyard, a cigarette hanging from his lips.

The Trio dragged a reluctant Leah to a drab part of the dungeons, a part where not even the Slytherins would tread. She could feel the slimy walls through her robe covered arms, the stick of cobwebs from years past claw and cling to her hair with each forced step after a shove in the back from either Ron or Harry. Leah's blindfolded self guessed it was Ron with the linger of Susie's new perfume still clinging to his robes.

They forced her to sit in a dank corner filled with not only standing slime covered water, she was hoping it was water, and ageless webs that seemed to suffocate her as they covered every inch of her arachnophobia body. Vainly she struggled against her bound hands. Whoever had tied this would be slapped viciously once this was all over, after she bandaged her raw wrists.

Dim lighting with a few candles flickering off the walls was all she could make out once the blindfold was ripped from her eyes. Slowly they adjusted to the low light and she was able to make out the cobalt color of a Mage Flame in a caldron not more the twenty feet behind Hermione. Her dread quickly grew into terror as she looked into the burning sapphire blaze, whatever they were going to do with her involve the poker that was placed inside.

"Harry, it's ready." Ron called as he put down the bit of charcoal beside his finished line. Hermione carefully stepped out of Leah's line of vision to inspect whatever Ron had done. With a grim nod of approval she turned to Harry. "Perfect. We can proceed with this. Although we have to be quick she does have a meeting with her brother in a little more then an hour and the healing and questioning time takes more then the actual casting."

"I know." Was all Harry said as he picked up a potions bottle from a table in the opposite corner that Leah didn't even see even in the glow from the candles and Mage Flame. Carefully he measured out two test tubes of the liquid that seemed to be the color of tar. One he took to the fire and upended it into the flame, watching as it hissed and spit for a few seconds before turning into the most magnificent black flame that Leah had ever witnessed. Only when the hissing of the liquid stopped did Harry turn back to the table and retrieve the second test tube and walk over to her.

Slowly he crouched before her. Ron and Hermione came close behind flanking Harry's sides just in case she was thinking in someway of running. Sternly Harry's emerald eyes glared into Leah's hazel ones. "What I am about to ask you are the only questions you will be fully willing to answer for the next thirty minutes when I give you this potion in here," he shook the tube for emphasis. "It's name is Diffidare Deprecor, the Deifier's Curse. I must also mention that this potion is near fatal if a severe lie is told within one full month from being taken. There also a mark that is given..."

"Harry! You're not supposed to tell her everything about it. Forget the rest and pour it down her throat."

"The participant HAS to be willing Ron! And also because I think of Leah as my sister, I respect her too much to lie to her. I WANT to have her know everything that's going to happen and after if something happens. She could lie to one of her friends and she could die if its big enough. She needs to know this." Harry's voice turned to steel as he said that. Even after he looked away from Leah, Hermione smacked Ron upside the back of his head.

"As I was saying...the mark that is given reflects from within the recipient, meaning that whatever your inner self wants that's what it becomes, a flower, a bug, anything. This curse is a willing one. If you agree to this then lying is virtually not an option without some pain involved, with a little white lie it could be a painful jolt through the mark on your back. But with a bigger lie meant to truly deceive or harm it will feel as if your being crushed slowly and agonizingly by something. There are only few ways to be ride of this: The first is obvious, not lying. The second admitting that you have lied to whoever before it becomes fatal. Or thirdly the caster, which would be myself, would have to banish it from your body. I will not even begin to describe that, but I assure you that I am prepared to do that if need be don't worry."

Harry settled down on his knees in front of Leah making sure that he was eyelevel with her to drill in the importance of what he was about to ask her and also the importance of her being able to walk away from this right now if she wanted to. But Leah already knew that if she did walk away she would not only lose three friends but at the same time make three potentially deadly enemies. She knew that something like this would happen from her many talks with her parents over the summer holidays when she wasn't out with her friends or Draco or overseeing the last of the construction on her's and one day Draco's house that she was moving into at the end of the term.

"Leah, do you willingly accept this curse? To take on with it the knowledge that it can and will do you harm if you defy any question given to you within one month? To also be aware that no matter the question you must have options of answering, lying and with that the pain enforced with it, silence that can either confirm or deny your guilt or innocence, or the truth. Those are your only options. Do you accept?"

Leah looking Harry straight in the eyes as she said a very firm "Yes" to his questions, condemning her for one month of no lying.

Hermione helped get Leah's sopping wet cloak off before Ron came over with the poker and handed it to Harry. Leah removed her over vest and pulled her shirt free from her left shoulder. Taking one last deep breathe and closing her eyes Harry placed the smoldering end heavily to her shoulder. She never let even a whimper escape her lips during this. The searing pain finally ebbed as the poker was removed and gauze and burn cream were added to the now marred flesh.

Harry stepped back into Leah's view a few moments later with tar colored vial. Sweat poured down into Leah's face as she snatched the vile from Harry's hand and downed it in one swallow. Her mouth began to tingle momentarily then dried up as if she hadn't drank anything for over a week. Then suddenly the room began to spin, tilting and whirling with each bat of her eyelids. Slowly the feeling faded leaving her with a slightly drunken feeling. Numbness started on her left shoulder than became raw. Hermione peeled the gauze away and with it the burned flesh reviling Leah's curse mark. With a swift nod from Hermione the questioning began.

Harry began the interrogation.

"What is your full name?"

"Leah Nicole Marron."

After the simple orientation questions were exhausted they began with harder questions that Leah really didn't want to answer, the really personal questions that should have stayed between her and who they were made with. But she found out rather quickly that she wasn't about to share with her interrogators. So she became cocky with the next round. Ron's round of personal information that he wanted answered.

"Do you love one Ferret Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes, more than anything."

"Have you ever slept with him?"

"In the same bed? Yes. Parents don't frown on sleepovers."

"That's not what I meant about sleeping with him and you know it." Ron responded as he started to get agitated.

"You did ask me if I ever slept with him. My response was yes I have. He occasionally stays over at my house for the night or I at his and we have sleepovers. What normal magical kid hasn't done that? Or better yet any normal magical teenager with a boyfriend or girlfriend hasn't had them stay the night with the parent's consent?" Came Leah's smart-aleck reply.

"Your lying!" Ron accused, his face in the dim lighting of the room was colored about the same shade of red as his hair. Hermione sighed and stepped in. "If she was lying we would know, she would be in pain. But unfortunately we have to stop this now, we only have five minutes to get her back up to the courtyard before her meeting with her brother. Besides I can tell that our thirty minute window is done, she's fully coherent again and she stopped swaying."

Carefully Harry and Ron helped Leah to her slightly unsteady feet and helped her up and out to the courtyard as Hermione played look out for any professors, namely Snape, that would question them on why they were this far down in the dungeons.

Josh was still in the same doorway that they had last seen him in. The only differences now were that the courtyard was deserted and that there were more than a few cigarette butts on the ground at his feet.

The trio left her to stagger the remaining width between them and Josh. Sluggishly she made her unwilling, half asleep feet move. After what seemed like an eternity, three minutes, she flopped into one of the open windows beside her brother panting from the effort of the seemingly foreign concept of walking. Slowly her breathing slowed back to normal and the full feeing in her feet returned. As she straightened she glared up at her chain smoking sibling. She spat at his new expensive imported American shoes. "You are so getting killed by mum," was all she said as she stalked off toward Josh's office, him in toe behind her. Leah didn't need to turn and look at him to know that he was concerned about the way her left shoulder was bleeding. Nor did she care to turn and slap him as an 'I told you so.' She just kept on walking.

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